Aima Khan
The contemporary work environment is often sold as a space of determination and success, but for many, it’s a place of quiet suffering. Workers pay cheques, silent confrontations against injustice, exploitation, and a system that prioritises profits over people behind the well-maintained companies’ facades and inspirational slogans.
Extended hours that push individuals past exhaustion, crushing workloads labelled as “productivity,” and a culture of fear where speaking up can cost them their livelihood—this is the reality for countless others. Workplaces, from glass-walled offices to factory levels, have developed into places of hopelessness and burnout where workers are expected to offer everything for businesses that perceive them as nothing more than disposable resources. Instances of workers in high-rise jobs suffering from depression as a result of toxic bosses and workers dying as a result of safety measures being overlooked are everywhere. From workers collapsing at their workplaces to a man who just burned himself alive out of despair, the pattern is always the same: workers are pushed to the brink while everyone else turns a blind eye. The world is still untouched, though. It takes a tragedy and something horrific to get people to pay any attention anyhow.
The grim reality is that workers who are pushed to the limit by constant exploitation frequently have no way out. Some go to extreme measures, sacrificing their lives in hopelessness while others suffer from years of mental and physical deterioration until their bodies begin to succumb. Destructive workplace events, commonly referred to as “accidents,” are actually inevitable outcomes of carelessness and opportunism. These tragedies aren’t accidental incidents; rather, they are signs of a system designed to dehumanise workers and reward those who take advantage of them. Workers who dare fight for justice are instead trapped in a never-ending web of legal red tape that has been designed to silent them rather than holding perpetrators accountable.
These bleak facts are not new to Pakistan. Workers face conditions that strip them of their dignity in all kinds of sectors. One of the largest economic sectors, the industrial sector, has a long history of disregarding worker safety. An awful example is the 2012 Baldia Town fire, in which over 250 workers died as a result of being trapped behind shut exits. The disaster should have changed everything. Rather, crises of similar sort continue to take place as if the deaths were merely a footnote in a report that no one bothered to read. Factory premises are not the only places where exploitations take place. Individuals in tech, banking, education, and the media are crushed by unrealistic targets, unpaid overtime, and the constant fear of losing their jobs. Job security is a privilege a few can afford, and speaking up often means being shown the door. The situation is worse for contract and daily wage workers, who have no insurance or legal safeguards. With nowhere else to turn, domestic workers—many of whom are women and children—face harassment, violence, and wages withheld. They remain to be invisible, caught in a never-ending cycle of abuse, with no sign of unions or government support.
The media that once fearlessly exposed corruption, gave a voice to the oppressed, and demanded justice, now mostly reinforce the narratives of the same corporations they should be scrutinising; prioritising profits over principles and avoiding inconvenient realities because they rely on big business to generate their ad revenue. Stories of exploitation of workers barely surface, overshadowed by headlines about soaring stocks and billion-dollar deals. It’s no surprise that mainstream media often stays silent when corporations or businesses exploit their workers. Bad press threatens profits, and few are willing to risk their financial ties for the sake of truth. Too often, what should be journalism, feels more like PR disguised as news.
The judicial system is only another hindrance for those who have the courage to stand their ground. Pakistan’s labour courts operate so awfully slowly that cases can drag on for years. Wealthy employers employ high-end lawyers who are adept at making use of legal spaces. By the time the dispute is settled, the worker is either defeated, worn out, or has passed away before justice is served. A system taking a decade or more to settle a labour dispute cannot be considered a justice system. The affluent always dominate throughout this waiting battle. And in a country where the law adjusts easily for the powerful, labourers are left with little or no hope. For such a reason, many individuals resort to harsh approaches out of sheer despair. To be heard, certain others self-immolate. Some give up because they cannot or no longer resist. However, nothing has changed.
“Workers are only appreciated for their labour, but the moment they demand justice or stand up for their rights, they are discarded.”
The problem is not limited to Pakistan; it’s a worldwide crisis. The narrative is the same everywhere. How many more lives must be lost before we finally pay attention? How many more people have to die before we take notice? Should worker fatalities not be enough to motivate us to react or speak up, then what will? The answer lies in what we do next. Empower workers by listening to their stories and amplifying their voices. Speak up, share their stories, and refuse to support businesses that thrive on exploitation. The moment we see is the moment we can begin to heal!
The writer is an educationist and a freelance journalist. Twitter: @aimaimrankhan
